Sheet-centralizing mechanism.



e. PfBRAND. SHEET CENTRALIZ ING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DEC'.26,1913.

Patented June 22, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET Gbtoumg .G. P. BRAND. SHEET CENTRALIZING MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED 050.26. 4913. 1,143,684. Patented June 22,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NNN QN G. P. BRAND. SHEET CENTHALIZING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DEC.26, 1913.

Patented June 22, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

GEORGE E. BEAN-D, OF NEW YORK, 11'. Y.

SHEET-OEN-TRALIZING MECHANISM;

ments and it has for its objects among others to provide a simple, yet efficient, quick -acting and positive mechanism by which the perforated sheet is accurately and quickly centralized, regardless of the manner in which it is wound upon the music spool.

My principal aim is to compensate for all inaccuracies in wind and from other causes, by means actuated positively by the music sheet and servin to positively and quickly centralize such siieet, such mechanism serving equally as well with sheets of greater or less width. I employ simultaneously movable members connected together to move in unison and engageable with opposite edges of the sheet and traveling with the same at all times in contact therewith, and constructed to control inlet and exhaust valves by connection with means movable with said movable members.

Heretofore great trouble has been experienced and imperfect results attained by reason of the variations in width of the music sheet as well as with the shrinkage of such sheets, which, in some instances, is nearly one-eighth of an inch, as the mechanisms usually employed on each side of the sheet for this purpose are not connected with each other to work in unison and automatically simultaneously movable and always in contact with the edges of the sheet. Furthermore, the width of the sheet changes the normal relative positions of the parts. By my improved mechanism the variation in the width of the sheet in no wise affects the normal relative positions of the parts constituting the centralizing mechanism, thereby admitting of more accurate results and centralization with minimum movement.

I employ an inlet and an exhaust valve, both normally closed when the sheet is cent alized, one of which only is open at a time, a slight lateral movement of the sheet be Specification of Letters l aten't.

Patented June 22, 1915;

Application filed December 26, 1913. Serial Ito/$08,861.

i'ng sufficient to open one valve or the other without disturbing the remaining valve, and the valve thus opened is instantly closed when the sheet is again centralized, through connection with a pneumatic which, in turn, when deflated, controls the lateral move ment of the music spool in one direction, and when inflated, the spring moves it in the opposite direction. v

in connection with the above I employ a clutch device to hold the said pneumatic in the position last .set by said centralizing mechanism, whereby if the operator ceases playing, the sheet remains centralized and when he resumes playing there are no false notes sounded, 'aswould be the case if the sheet had to be again centralized. Without such clutch device, the pneumatic would become inflated When playing ceased.

In connection with the above-mentioned centralizing mechanism, I sometimes employ a take-up roll having adjustable flanges for keeping the paper thus centralized from lateral movement as it iswound upon said take-up roll. This latter may be manual or automatic and in some cases may be omitted entirely, but when employed, it relieves the centralizing mechanism of the work' of correcting the lateral movements 'of the sheet after being wound upon the take-up roll, and, consequently, insures even winding of the sheet on the take-up roll, and thereby insures perfect parallelism in the travel of the sheet from the music spool to the take-up roll and prevents wrinkling and, hence, avoids liability of such distortion of the sheet as to-cause sounding of false notes and injury to the sheet by breakage thereof. 1 may also sometimes employ a governor to lighten the tension in the exhaust chamber so that the valve controlling the exhaust port is opened with less effort on the part of the music sheet.

The present invention, while shown as applied to an automatic musical instrument,

may be used with equally beneficial results in connection with other devices, such as automatic letter writing machines and the like, and, therefore, the invention is not restricted to the particular use to which it is herein shown as applied.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 11s a front elevation of my pres ent invention showing such parts of an automatic musical instrument as are gecessary to the proper understanding of my present invention, with the latter applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan of Fig. 1 with portions broken away. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. at is a section on the-line 1- 1 of Fig.

6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section at right angles to Fig. l, as on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a top plan of the valvechest and governor with portions broken away. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective detail of the sheet contacting members and carriage mechanism therefor. Fig; 8 is a similar view of a modified form. Fig. 9 is a detail of the clutch mechanism showing the pneumatic inflated. Fig. 10 is a similar view showin the pneumatic deflated. Fig, 11 is an enlarged detail partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating the action of the clutch. Fig. 12 is a detail in section on the line 12--12 of Fig. 7. Fig. 13 is a-face view of the rotary valve member of the flange actuating mechanism.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Various parts of the player are herein illustrated for the purpose of making clear the application and operation of the partsv constituting my, present invention, but it is to be understood that such parts are shown merely by way of illustration and a detailed description thereof is not necessary, nor is the invention restricted to use in connection with such particular construction of player except hereinafter specified.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a tracker bar which in operation is relatively fixed, although normally capable of adjustment endwise for obvious purposes. It is mounted in the uprights 2 rising from the base 3 of the music box.

1 is-the take-up roll and 5 the music spool on which the usual perforated sheet 6 is wound and from which it is unwound while playing and wound upon the take-up roll 4: in the usual manner, it being understood,

of course, that motion is imparted to the parts through the medium of a motor and transmission mechanism (some of the latter of which is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2) in any well known or usual way, the present invention not pertaining to such operating or transmission mechanism, except as hereinafter specified.

The music roll or spool 5 is journaled, as shown, on the spindles 7 and 8, the spindle 8 of theusual well known spring masses wise movable in its bearings for a purpose now to be described. The spindle 7 is extended through the support 2 and its outer end 9 mounted in the outer arm 10 of a U-shaped support 11, the other arm of which is adapted to be attached to the upright 2 in any well-known way. The outer end 9 of the spindle 7 bears against the lever 12 pivotally mounted at one end, as at 13, in :3. lateral arm 14 on the support 2. The free end of this lever 12 isdisposed between buttons 15 adjustable upon the screw-threaded end 16 of a rod 17 which extends parallel with the music roll and has its other end attached in any suitable manner, as at 18, to'the movable board 19 of the pneumatic20, as seen best in Fig. 3. Normally the spring of the spindle 8 tends to force the music roll or spool toward the right in Fig. 1-, thus forcmg the outer end 9 of the spindle 7 against the lever 12. Now, if the pneumatic 20 is deflated, the rod 17 pulling upon the lever 12 and the latter bearing against the extended end 9 of the spindle 7 forces the music spool and, consequently, the music sheet thereon to the left in Fig. 1.. Now, if the pneumatic is inflated, the spring 21 of the pneumatic 20 forces the ,movable member 19 of the pneumatic in the opposite direction or toward the right in Fig. 1, carrying withit the rod 17 'and,-consequently,

the lever 12, when the spring of the spindle 8 serves to force the music spool and, consequently, the music sheet to the right in Fig. 1.

The controlling mechanism comprises two members mounted to contact with opposite edges of the sheet during its movement over the tracker and these members 22 are so mounted and arranged as to move simul-' taneously, being connected together for that purpose, so that they will move toward each other and from each other to accommodate music spools of less or greater width. In

Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown two dificrent forms of mounting of these members 22.

Referring first to Fig; 7, 23 are blocks or with the bearing 26, as seen at 29, the two horizontal extensions 30 be ng overlapped and united in any suitable manner, so as to permit of the requisite sliding movement of said overlapped ends, as the members 22 'are rested variety and the spindle 7 being endmoved to and from each other. Any suit- 15:;

: horizontal members 47 able form of connection may be employed which will permit of this result. Inthe present instance, one of the flattened ends 31 is shown as provided with a longitudinal slot 32 in which works a pin 33 carried by the other flattened portion, as seenclearly in Fig. 7.

For the purpose of holding the two bearings 26 in fixed relation to each other, I provide the rod 34 which extends substantially parallel with the tracker bar and has its ends flattened, as at 35, and loosely emracing the horizontal portions of the swinging members 24 so as to have pivotal movement thereon. connect the parts that the members 22 move in unison simultaneously toward and from each. other to compensate for different widths of sheets. When the music sheet deviates to the right or left in its travel over the tracker bar, the movement of the members 22, caused by such deviation, moves the rod 34 to the right-or to the left owing to the manner in which the parts are mounted upon the swinging arms 2-4.

Mounted upon the rod 34. near one end is a coupling 36 affixed to the said rod in any suitable manner. Adjustably mounted in this coupling 36 by means of a set screw 37, or any other well-known means, is an arm provided at its outer end with an eye or analogous means 39, by which it is loosely engaged over an arm extending at rigl'it angles to said arm 38, as seen in Fig. 1, whereby said arms 38 and 40 are coupled together.

Secured to one of the members 30 is a coupling 41 in which is adjustably held by means of a set screw orthe like 42 an arm 43 designed for attachment to the rewind mechanism so that when the sheet is re wound the member 43 will be moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 7, throwing up the point or connection of the rods 30 and throwing the members 22 outward away from the sheet.

In Fig. 8 I have shown another form of mechanism for accomplishing substantially the same purpose. In this figure, 23 are blocks designed to be secured to the inner faces of the ends 2 of the music box, being the equivalents of the blocks 23 shown in Fig. 7. The members 2%, which are designed for contact with the edges of the sheet similar to the members 22 in Fig. 7, are -arried by the arms 44 which have the outwardly extended horizontal portions 45 and the downwardly extendin portions 46, said downwardly extending portions 46 joining the horizontal portions 47, each of whim pivotally mounted, as at 48. upon the lower end of a swinging link or the like 49, the upper end of which is pivotally mounted, as at 50, upon the block 23. The

extended form- This rod 34 serves to so ing the arms 51,the adjacent ends of which overlap and, as'shown .m Fig. 8, are fiattened, as seen at 52, and connected by a pin or the like 53 fast-upon one member 51 and received within an opening in the flattened portiolfo'f the other member. The vertical portion'46, shown at the left of Fig.- 8, has pivotally received therein, as at 54, one end of a rod 55, the other end of which is provided with an eye or the like 56 which is adapted to engage the arm 40 in a manner similar to the engagement of the eye 39 with such rod, as seen in Fig. 1.

Fast upon the horizontal member 44 at the left of Fig. 8 is a coupling 57 in which is adjustably held by means of a set screw or the like 58, one end of a rod 59 which is designed for attachment to the rewind mechanism and serving the same purpose as the arm 43 shown in Fig. 7

The members 3030 are guided in their movement and held against undue motion horizontally transversely of the length of the tracker bar'by means of a loop or the like 60, as. seen in Figs. 1 and 7, said loop depending from the rod 34, as seen clearly in Fig. 7.

The rod 40, hereinbefore described, ex: tends horizontally from a pendent rod 61, see Fig. 4, which is pendent from a pivot 62 fulcrumcd at its ends in the parallel arms 63 of a U-shaped member 64 secured to one side of a block 65 securedto the valve chest 66, as seen clearly in Figs. 4 and 6. The pivot 62 is, by preference, mounted on knife points so as to reduce friction and avoid lost motion.

The valve chest 66 has a chamber 67 V which is connected by a tube 68 with the pneumatic. 20, as seen best in Fig. 3. This constitutes the exhaust from the pneumatic. The valve chest 66 has another chamber 69 which is connected with the atmosphere by a assage 70, as seen clearly in Fig. 4.

71 is a tube connecting the pneumatic 20 with the passage 72 of the valve chest and through the passage 73 and the port 74 with the chamber 69 and through the same and port 70 with the atmosphere. The port 74 is controlled by a valve 75', as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The tube 71 constitutes the inflotion tube of the bellows 20.

The chamber 67 connects by port 76 and passage 77 with the governor or regulating pneumatic 78, as seen clearly in Fig. 4. The port 71') is controlled by a valve 79. The valves 75 and 79 are normally held to their seats by very delicate spi'ingsfifi, as seen in Figs. 4 and The valves 75 and 79 are guided in their movements to and from their seats by the push rods 81, seen in Figs. 4 and 5, which enter the said valves, as indicated in said Figs. 4 and 5, these push rods flattened end 82 of a. lever arm. 83 movable with the pivot 62 hereinbefore described. Asseen in Figs. 4 and 5,'this flattened end of the lever arm 83 is disposed within a bore 84L in the body of the valve chest 66.

85 is a tube connecting the throttle port 86 of the governor pneumatic 78 with the crating tension through the T or coupling 8?, as seen clearly in Fig. 3. The throttle port 86 is controlled by a valve 88 carried by the movablemember'89 of the said controlling pneumatic 78, as seen in Fig. 4.

Thegovernor or controller valve 78 is 2 provided with a bleed 90, as seen in Fig. 4.

' I sometimes employ connection"with thepneumatic 20, a clutch mechamsmto retain said pneumatic some the position-1n which it is left when they playing ceased,

that is, if when the operator ceases piaymg' the pneumatic 20 is, for instance, about oneha-lf inflated, it will be immediately.- locked in such condition automatically until playing is resumed. This insures perfect registration up'on resuming playing. Without the employment off-"the clutch mechanism,

as soon as the playing ceased, the paper would be liable to-movewith the roll laterally until the pneumatic 20 is fully inflated, causing non-registration of the perforations of the music sheet with those 0. the tracker bar. Consequently, there would be improper sounding of the notes until the sheet was again centralized. This clutch mechanism comprises a pneumatic 91 mounted upon the pneumatic 20, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10, and a pivotally mounted member 92 movable on a fulcrum 93 held in a suitable support 94, one end being provided with an opening 95 and the other end disposed between a spring 96 and an adjustable button or bumper 9'? carried on the n ovable member of the pneumatic 91, as shown clearly in said Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10. On the other member of the pneumatic 20 is a rod 98 extending in the direction of the movement of the pneumatic in operation, which rod-98 is movable through the opening 95 of the pivoted member 92. The construction is such that when the members 92 and 98 are dis-- posed at right angles to each other, freedom of movement of the parts is permitted, but when the parts assume a position other than at right angles, as indicated by full lines in F 11, the member 98 is bound by the diametrically opposite corners or the walls of the opening 95 in the member 92 and clutched thereby, so that the parts are held in whatever position they may then assume, thuslocking the pneumatic 20 in whatever position it may be found:when the playing ceases and the pneumatic 91 is inflated as shown in Fig. I

The above described mechanism constitutes my present improvement in the means for centralizing the paper passed over the tracker bar. In some cases I may provide,

in addition to the above. means whereby the music sheet is assured of being wound evenly upon the take-up spool, after being centralized by the aforedescribed mechanism. -This mechanism embodies the movably mounted flanges 99 on the spindles of the take-up spool 4. They are moved back and forth on said spindles through the medium of the arms 100, one upon each spindle and ijprked or otherwise formed to press againstthe hubs of the flanges, as seen clearly in Fig. 1. The flanges are moved in the opposite direction by the springs 101 of any Well-known or preferred construction. These arms are connected at the back of the music box by having their horizontal portions 102 united in any suitable manner, the said arms being pivotally mounted at their angles, as at 103, upon some suitable support, as seen in Fig. 3. The pin 104: connecting theadjacent ends of these mem bers 102 has mounted thereon one end of a link 105, the other end of which is connected in any suitable manner with an arm 106 on the movable member 10'? 01 a pneumatic afiixed to the back 108 of the music box, all as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

109 is a tube designed to be connected with the action chest or any other part of the player. This tube 109 is connected with a coupling 110 and is designed to supply the operating tension for the pneumatic 91' and the controlling governor 78, as seen in 3, as Well as supplying air to the valve sheet 111.

112 is the tube supplying air-tension to the pneumatic 91 and 113 is the tube sup plying air tension to the said chest 11.1.

111 is the tube supplying air tension to the re-wind pneumatic 115.

116 is the tube connecting the diaphragm chamber of the valve chest with the controlling valve port on the rotary valve memthe takeup roll, the edge contacting mem-v bers 22'contact with the opposite edges of the sheet, the said members being forced farther apart according to the Width of the paper, the arms 30 being raised. They are shown in l 1 as at their lowermost limit and, consequently, the members set for the width of paper. Now, if in this position the music si'ieet deviates the left,

it moves the left hand edge contacting member 22 to the left, by reason'pf pressure thereagainst and this through the medium of the swinging members 24 and the connecting rod 34 moves the right band edge contacting member 22 also to the left. Duruse carries with it the arm 38 which, by

reason of the engagement of its eye 39 with the rod 40,. causes the lever 83 to move slightly on its fulcrum so that its flattened end contacts with the push rod 81 of the in .flating valve 75, thus removing the valve from its seat against the tension of its spring, whereupon atmospheric air from the chamber 69 passes through the port 7% and the passages 73 and 72 to the tube 71 .to the pneumatic 20, thereby inflating the pneumatic 20 and through the medium of the rod. 17 moves the rod 12 to the right in Fig. 1, allowing the extended end 9 to he pushed with the music spool through the medium of its spring spindle 8 to the right, immediately allowing the valve '15 to close which returns the lever 83 to its former position and centralizes the music sheet. If the music sheet now moves to the right, it moves the right hand edge contacting member 22 to the right, by reason of pressure thereagai-nst and this, through the medium of the swinging rods 24 and the connecting rod as, moves the left hand edge contacting member 22 also to the right, it being understood that the structure composed of said members 22, swinging arms 24:, rods 30, 30 and the connecting rod 3%, moves as a whole.

From the above it will be readily seen that a very slight movement of the music sheet will change the normal position of the valve 75 or 79 and thereby quickly return the sheet to centralized position as there is no lost motion between said valves and the sheet. It will also be noted that the movement of the music sheet is multiplied, that is, the contact end of the lever 83 with the push rods 81, has at least twice the movement that the rod 40 has, so that but little movement of the music sheet is required to move one valve or the other from its seat.

In neutral position the flattened end of the rod 83 is in close contact with the, adjacent ends of the two push rods 81, and at this time the two valves are seated, the outer ends ot the push rods 81 carrying said valves being in contact with the bottoms of the holes in the outer ends of the valves, so that there is no lost motion at these points either.

The music sheet is kept from lateral movement on the take-up spool by the movable flanges 99 in the following manner :at every revolution of the take-up spool 4 the rotary valve member 117 carried by one of the spindles thereof arrivesat a point where its opening 119 coincides-with a port 120 in the fixed member 121, with which port connects the tube 116 already described and shown in Fig. 3, and which communicates with the diaphragm chamber of the valve chest 111. Atmospheric air admitted through this opening 119 causes the collapse of the .pneumatic 107 through the valve chest 111 which is of a well known construction, which, through the medium of the arm 106 and link 105, causes a movement of the rods 102 so as to actuate the arms 100 and move the flange 99 inward against the edgesof' the music sheet. As soon as the rotary member 117 moves so that its opening 119 no longer coincides with the port 120 in the fixed member and, consequently, the latter is closed, the pneumatic 107 is inflated and the flanges 99, by means of the springs in their spindles, are forced out-' ward.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the in-' vention, or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed as new is 1. Sheet-contacting'means connected together and mounted to move in unison in the same or opposite directions at all times in contact with the edges of a music sheet."

2. Sheet-controlling means connected together and mounted for movement in unison in the same or opposite directions at all times in contact with the edges of a music sheet.

3. Sheet-engaging means mounted for engagement with the opposite edges of a music sheet at all times, swinging supports therefor, and means actuated by movement of said supports for centralizing the sheet.

4. Means coiiperating with a music sheet for contact therewith at all times, movable means moving therewith in unison in opposite directions, and means actuated by said movable means for centralizing the music sheet.

5. Means coiiperating with a music sheet for contact therewith at all times, movable means acting in unison to move said means in "both directions, and means actuated by said movable means for centralizing the music sheet.

6. Means cooperating with a music sheet, movable means connecting said means and acting -.inunison therewith, and means cooperating with the first-named means for centralizing. the music sheet. r

7 Sheet-engaging means, at all times engageable with the edges of a music sheet swinging members by which they are car ried, and means connecting said swinging members to cause them to move in unison.

8. Sheet-engaging means, at all times engageable with the edges of a music sheet swinging members by which said means are carried, and means connecting said means to move the same in opposite directions.

9. Sheet-engaging means, swinm'ng mombers by which the same are carried, means connecting the said means permitting them to move in unison in opposite directions, and means connecting said members confin ing their movement in unison in the same direction.

10. Sheet-engaging means, swinging members carrying the same, means connecting said means permitting them to move in,op posits directions, means connecting said members confining their movement in unison in the same directioinand sheet-centralizing means actuated thereby.

11. Sheet-engaging means, movable members carrying the same, means connectmg and permitting movement of said means in unison in 0, posits directions, and means confining the movement of said members in unison in th same direction.

12. Sheet engaging mounted supports therefor, connections permitting the movement of the said means in unison in opposite directions, and meansconnecting said supports and causing the same and the said means to move as a whole when one is moved. 1 i 1 13. Sheet-engaging means, pivotally mounted to move in unison in opposite directions, valves, and means for moving said valves, said valve-moving means being operatively connected with said sheet-engaging means.

14. Sheetengaging means, pivotally mounted" to move in unison in opposite directions, valves controlled by said means, and sheet-centralizing means controlled by said valves.

l5. Sheet-engaging means pivotally mounted, means for moving them in unison in opposite directions, -valves actuated by movement of said means, and pneumatic-am tuated means controlled by said valves. I 16. Means cobperating with a music sheet, valved, means controlledv the'eby, a pneumatic controlled by said last-named means, coiiperating selector mechanism and a clutch embodying cooperating members both of which are carried by said pneumatic "for automatically locking said pneumatic against movement when playing ceases.

17. Means cooperating with a music sheet, valved means controlled thereby, a pnenmatic controlled by said last-named means,

means, movablymeanesco'tiperating'selector mechanism and a clut embodying cotiperating members both which are carried by said pneumatic "for automatically positively locking said matic against movement when playing ceases and to automatically unlock the when playing is resumed.

18. Means eoiiperating with a music sheet, a pneumatic controlled thereby, coiiperating selector mechanism and a clutch comprising cooperating members both carried by said pneumatic and acting to'automatically posi tively lock the pneumatic when playing ceases and to automatically unlock the same when playing is resumed. g

19. Means coiiperating with a music sheet, movable means moving therewith, means actuated by said movable means for centralia ing the music sheet, and means for autom atisally keeping the sheet from lateral movement upon the take-up spool.

20. Means coiiperating with a music sheet, pneumatic means controlled thereby for centralizing the sheet, and pneumatic means for keeping the sheet centralized upon the takeup spooln Ki 21. Movably mounted means coeperating with'a music sheet, pneumatic means controlled thereby for centralizing the sheet, and pneumatic means for keeping the sheet centralized upon the take-up spool.

22. Pneumatic controlling means, and means acting to automatically positively lock the same when playing ceases and to automatically unlock the same when playing is resumed, said last-named means embodying interengageable friction members mcunt ed upon a common carrier.

23. Sheet centralizing mechanism, a pneumatic, and automatic interengaging friction members carried by said pneumatic for locking the same against movement.

24. Sheet centralizing mechanism, a pneumatic, and pneumatically actuated positive locking means therefor movable therewith to hold the same at any predetermined point.

25. Sheet eentralizingimechanism, a pneu matic, and a pneumatically controlled clutch mechanism movable with the pneumatic for sheet-contacting means mounted to move in Signed by me at WVashington, 0., this unison in the same or opposite directions, 20th day of December 1913.

valves normally seated z and laterally re- 1 moved from their seats movement of said GEOhGE BRAND' 5 sheet-contacting means, and a governor for \Vitness'es:

controlhng atmosphenc pressure upon sald E. H. BOND, valves. JOHN SCRIVENER.

copies of thh patent me? be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latenta, Washington, D. G. 

